Something's gotta give

[sa226]

I think its pointless to call for anything. Like we have some sort of sway over hockey operational decisions.

People get annoyed about the "calling for a rebuild" stuff because its hardly revolutionary, and quite frankly tiring. I like to see people's optimism, it keeps me around, and its not like the optimists are planning the parade routes either.

I also like to see the level headed critiques, because there is usually some good insight. DM's post in another thread (or maybe this one?) is a great example.

I understand people get frustrated with the team, but when they fly off the handle and start blaming everyone for the plight of mankind, it gets a little weird around here.

Last night I saw a tale of 2 teams. One that at times dominated one of the top teams in the league and at home to boot. But also a team that let one terrible giveaway completely derail the game. That was a backbreaker. Good teams fight through that, not all of the time but they do. We turned it into 4-0.

In the context of the on-ice product, I see a group on the upswing. Some good things are happening including getting healthier. Whether that leads to another 9th place finish and average draft choice is yet to be seen.

All I know is that I will never cheer for this team to lose.

[Igottago]

The team has been playing fairly well as of late, but its clear there are some holes. Seems a lot of people want to take shots at Feaster and management right now, and that's fine. But I think the Ryan O Reilly offer sheet (ignoring the obvious potential for the waiver debacle - that is another discussion) is the type of move the team needs to be looking at. He tried to get a prominent young centre for the team and it didn't work out. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes, perhaps another plan is brewing. What I don't think would be good is panic trades in the face of a few losses. This is an important season where the moves they make need to be the right ones, and it shouldn't be influenced by wins or losses.

What I also find hilarious is that the people calling for the full scale blow it up rebuild tend to be the ones panicking after one loss right now. Well I have news for you, if you get your wish you better start enjoying losing hockey, because it'll be most of what you see for a long time if the Flames "blow it up".

[EddyBeers]

Originally Posted by sa226

I think its pointless to call for anything. Like we have some sort of sway over hockey operational decisions.

People get annoyed about the "calling for a rebuild" stuff because its hardly revolutionary, and quite frankly tiring. I like to see people's optimism, it keeps me around, and its not like the optimists are planning the parade routes either.

I also like to see the level headed critiques, because there is usually some good insight. DM's post in another thread (or maybe this one?) is a great example.

I understand people get frustrated with the team, but when they fly off the handle and start blaming everyone for the plight of mankind, it gets a little weird around here.

Last night I saw a tale of 2 teams. One that at times dominated one of the top teams in the league and at home to boot. But also a team that let one terrible giveaway completely derail the game. That was a backbreaker. Good teams fight through that, not all of the time but they do. We turned it into 4-0.

In the context of the on-ice product, I see a group on the upswing. Some good things are happening including getting healthier. Whether that leads to another 9th place finish and average draft choice is yet to be seen.

All I know is that I will never cheer for this team to lose.

Revolutionary and tiring was blaming Brent Sutter when it appears that he got more out of the lineup than was actually there. Fact of the matter is a team generally has three directions they can take at any point in the hockey season:

1) Buyers
2) Sellers
3) Stay pat

The Flames traditionally were buyers, they were willing to sell the farm to try to get the Cup. For a few years this actually made sense. The last couple years they have been in the stay pat camp. I would say that staying pat basically only makes sense if you actually think your team is close. The Flames are not close although given how they overperformed over the previous two years I can understand how management may have been fooled. I will be very disappointed if April 2nd comes around and this team is a .500 hockey team and management still does not see that they are nowhere near close enough to either buy or stand pat.

As for the team on the ice I see a team on the downswing. I think it will take a miracle for the Flames to match the greatness of the Brent Sutter team from last year, let alone exceed it. If that is the case, given the age of the teams key players and the more or less complete lack of any legitimate NHL prospects in the system, it seems painfully obvious that replenishing the prospects in the system and trying to get veterans over the summer either through UFA or buy taking advantage of the good teams that will have to sell off players because of the cap seems like the best decision for the hockey club.

I could be wrong though, against all logic this team could go 15-9-2 down the stretch and either make the playoffs or at a minimum be better than last years team, but I would not hold my breath waiting for that to happen. Surely to god a team that for a majority of its key players they are closer to getting a seniors discount at Denny's than they are to the age of drinking, if they do worse this year the writing should be on the wall.

[StAlbertFlame]

On Jan 13, 2012, the Flames traded Bouque for Michael Cammellari and 52.5% of the season was complete they were 21st overall for the entire league...I remember this because Feaster proclaimed that Cammalleri was so excited to be going to Calgary that he answered the phone with "what are we 4 points out?"

On March 9, 2013, the Flames are again "4 points out" and 49% of the season is complete and the Flames are 21st overall in the entire league.

Last year the Flames went on an impressive push for the last part of the season...but as they went on to prove, it is very very difficult to keep up the kind of pace required to make the playoffs.

Now...I am a huge fan of this team...but it is time to call a spade a spade.
even if this team goes on a playoff berth push and makes it into the last spot. it is likely that they will be so spent just trying to make the show, that the first round will be a short lived dissapointment for the Flames and their fans.

The super slow start has made the difficulty rating of making the playoffs for this team a 10 out of 10.

However, if Kipper, Iggy, Tanguay, Glencross, Cammalleri, Comeau & Giordano return to prior form... and if Beartschi, Backlund, Cervenka, Hudler & Wideman meet up to their expectations...if Stajan & Bouwmeester continue on their renewed form under Hartley...if Brodie & Stempniak continue their excellent play I suppose anything can happen

I do not want the Flames to lose... but for me its playoffs or bust... and by bust I mean worse than 9th or 10th...I don't want the worst out of the playoffs pick.

Sorry if this bothers anybody...but as a fan, I have already experienced this for the last three years...I'd rather have a decent pick and hope than another year as the best also ran.

[Saqe]

What depresses me the most is if they decide to desperately hold on to both Iginla and Kipper (or some of the other older pieces in this team) after this season, even if they won´t make the playoffs. Don´t blow everyting up, fine, but atleast some type of liquidation of assets has to be done. 5th year in a row with the same core, except older, would be just so freaking lame.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Igottago

What I also find hilarious is that the people calling for the full scale blow it up rebuild tend to be the ones panicking after one loss right now. Well I have news for you, if you get your wish you better start enjoying losing hockey, because it'll be most of what you see for a long time if the Flames "blow it up".

There is a big difference with a team rebuilding and having losses with young guys in the line-up growing/prospects in the minors with hope and losing with an aging team in decline, few prospects and a management team that seems to be set on staying the course and praying for 8th.

[Sakari]

If Iginla had the season that he had in 10-11 in 11-12, we would have soared to the playoffs. The problem is our core can't work together. They aren't the Sedins, they aren't Crosby and Malkin, they aren't Stamkos and St Louis, they don't make eachother play well, so every season half of our core does well, other does mediocre. What we need is for Iginla and Kipper both to have a good season, and that and that only will be when we see the playoffs again. Unless we get a new core. If the best center that Iginla can play with is Stajan, then this team needs work.

[taffeyb]

Originally Posted by vektor

We are 2 points from last in the league. Could be interesting if we lose the next 2

exactly!

We are closer to finishing last than we are from simply making the cut line for the playoffs. Brian Burke was quoted as saying that he was not interested in just finishing 8th yet it seems that Flames mgmt would be happy with that...

[868904]

The best thing about this shortened season is that there is not much time for the bad teams to really fail and fall way out of contention, which means that the Flames are going to be closer to the bottom without even really tanking.

Look at how close it is in the standings right now. The Flames are 4 points from a playoff spot and 2 points from picking 1st overall. I'm sure the gap will spread a bit closer to the end of the season, but the bad teams might not be able to pull away as far as in other seasons.

Plus of all the teams, I think Florida is the only one that's ready to pack it in right now.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by sa226

I think its pointless to call for anything. Like we have some sort of sway over hockey operational decisions.

People get annoyed about the "calling for a rebuild" stuff because its hardly revolutionary, and quite frankly tiring. I like to see people's optimism, it keeps me around, and its not like the optimists are planning the parade routes either.

I also like to see the level headed critiques, because there is usually some good insight. DM's post in another thread (or maybe this one?) is a great example.

I understand people get frustrated with the team, but when they fly off the handle and start blaming everyone for the plight of mankind, it gets a little weird around here.

Last night I saw a tale of 2 teams. One that at times dominated one of the top teams in the league and at home to boot. But also a team that let one terrible giveaway completely derail the game. That was a backbreaker. Good teams fight through that, not all of the time but they do. We turned it into 4-0.

In the context of the on-ice product, I see a group on the upswing. Some good things are happening including getting healthier. Whether that leads to another 9th place finish and average draft choice is yet to be seen.

All I know is that I will never cheer for this team to lose.

What's worse is when the people flying off the handle and doing the "calling" talk encounter anyone who views the situation with any bit of positivity, they rip on them instantly, as if their way of thinking is the one and only way it has to and should be. Meaning their views are somehow of most importance, and thinking positively means you're not thinking "realistically". Like they have this team already figured out, and know more than anybody in management and hockey operations currently does.

Those are the biggest idiots of the bunch.

Take the situation for what it is.. they played well last night. It is understandably frustrating because they can't buy a break in a hard fought game in a building they can't seem to shake the monkey in. But the rest of the conference has run into the same problems with Anaheim's goaltending. They're only one loss worse than they were yesterday, and that can be made up tonight with some better bounces and another good effort. I never expected them to sweep this trip. The fact is few teams would.

[PlayfulGenius]

Idiots indeed! ... Oh...except that they've been right 3 years in a row...and the direction this team needs to take has nothing to do with last night's game.

[moon]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

What's worse is when the people flying off the handle and doing the "calling" talk encounter anyone who views the situation with any bit of positivity, they rip on them instantly, as if their way of thinking is the one and only way it has to and should be. Meaning their views are somehow of most importance, and thinking positively means you're not thinking "realistically". Like they have this team already figured out, and know more than anybody in management and hockey operations currently does.

Those are the biggest idiots of the bunch.

I assume this part is a joke right?

[Sakari]

We're 4 points from 8th seed. Making the argument that we're closer to last than first is absolutely ridiculous because a lot of other teams are in the same position and the teams that are in said position change daily.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sakari

We're 4 points from 8th seed. Making the argument that we're closer to last than first is absolutely ridiculous because a lot of other teams are in the same position and the teams that are in said position change daily.

What do you mean argument? It's a fact that the Flames are 3 points from last and 4 points from 8th. Almost halfway through the season and the highest the Flames have been in the standings any day this season has been 11th spot. When do you come to the conclusion that the team is simply a 10-14th place team especially when they hover in that range all season? If they get below .500 again it's realistic to think that this team is simply not going to finish any higher than a game or two over .500 at best and that's not going to be good enough to make the playoffs.

[lifetimefan]

Any kind of move now will reek of desperation.
However, I do think that changes must be made in the off season, including GM, coach and so-called core.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Sakari

We're 4 points from 8th seed. Making the argument that we're closer to last than first is absolutely ridiculous because a lot of other teams are in the same position and the teams that are in said position change daily.

Ok, well how's this? We're 4 points out of 8th and 1 point out of 15th.

I don't care about a lot of teams, I really don't and I'm sure most people on hear really only care for one team. Calgary is closer to being in last place then they are to 8th place.

And what's absolutely ridiculous is that right now, being "close to 8th place" is an actual good thing for some fans! We're almost there!

Last years team had the 8th spot for 1 day the entire year. 1 day. The fact that changes haven't been made just goes to show that this team is built to "shoot for 8th"

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by lifetimefan

Any kind of move now will reek of desperation.
However, I do think that changes must be made in the off season, including GM, coach and so-called core.

Pray the team does not make a desperation trade.

This team is far from a SC contender, and making a bad long term trade only to eke into the playoffs only to be bounced in the first round, would be a terrible organizational decision.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Pray the team does not make a desperation trade.

This team is far from a SC contender, and making a bad long term trade only to eke into the playoffs only to be bounced in the first round, would be a terrible organizational decision.

Like trading a frist and a third for a second line center on most teams but overpaying because he'd be our best center?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Sakari

We're 4 points from 8th seed. Making the argument that we're closer to last than first is absolutely ridiculous because a lot of other teams are in the same position and the teams that are in said position change daily.

As it stands at the moment, the 8th seed is 3 games over 500

Last in the west is 3 games below 500

The Flames are 500

They would have to pass 3 teams to get into 8th and they would have to pass 3 teams to be last.

So they're half way between the two at the moment. Obviously, whether they win or lose tonight determines whether they are closer to 8th or 15th after today's games.

The season is half over after the 2 games in LA. If it turns out that they are closer to last than the playoffs at the halfway point, management is going to have to face some facts.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Like trading a frist and a third for a second line center on most teams but overpaying because he'd be our best center?

not to mention paying said player 6.5 million per year.